I’ve acquired a good few camera bags over the past couple of years, but nothing as stylish as these Jo Totes camera bags for women. Not only are they absolutely gorgeous, they make for a good hiding place for all that expensive equipment. I don’t know about you, but I often feel a bit nervous lugging about a bag with cannon proudly displayed across it’s top.

Just look at all the handy little hidey places for camera and lenses. There are even a range of different colors and styles on the Jo Totes website. The teal is my favorite, and out of stock till the end of the month, just enough time to save a couple of dollars for one of my own.

..is always inspirational. I’ve had his book on my amazon wish list for several months now, but can’t quite allow myself to buy it at over 50 euro.

There’s nothing like an exhibition opening to get you excited about art. During December, I took part in a group show at the Plane/Site gallery entitled 16.4.1. The show consisted of a range of 16 artists from textile to multimedia installation to pen and paper. In some way, the space defined how the installation was structured and hung. Each of the four areas installed aimed to emphasize a different theme or point of view.

My work comprised of a number of equine prints entitled Shiver. Above is the piece that I sold, the other two were set aside for some crafty Christmas presents. Probably the most inspiring component of the exhibition however, was the installation of the art and seeing everything and everyone come together. The opening night in particular, is a time to learn from others. You find yourself seeing a different perspective from the feedback offered. From artists, performers, and buyers to those who have just come for a bit of a laugh and a good chat. I’ve only been involved in half a dozen exhibitions, having a hectic schedule as a research student. The enjoyment of taking part in a show is infectious. It’s because of this that I jumped at the chance to take part in another group show, opening later this month.

The next group show that I will be taking part in is Natural Progression. Opening on the 20th February the exhibition features a number of Sligo born/based artists. The show is being held at the Art Mart Studios in Sligo and will run for two weeks.

Also taking part in the show are Nicholas Grey, Michelle Granville, Mark, Tom and Sean Mullery, and Lisa Powell. If you’re about Sligo, be sure to call in. If not, you can see some of my photography at flavorso.me. I can only imagine in the future, with luck and time willing that I will be involved in many more shows.

The most recent fiction that I got into was Hearts of Horses. It wasn’t what I had imagined, more about the culture and the history of the people. Since getting back to work after the holidays I haven’t touched it. Still, if I can manage to put aside a couple of hours I might be able to tick it off as 1 out of 25.

This photo, despite its ugly backdrop is an example of how I’ve been approaching my own project365. A photo a day for a whole year, for those who haven’t heard of the project. I’ve been trying, most days at least, to focus on some small scene and try and figure out what is the best two point lighting with flashes. Most days I struggle with some ambient light source, be it daylight or the overhead one. I’ve nearly made it a month, with only one slip up so far, so by February I’d like to do a compilation of the shots and see how my lighting skills have improved.

Gingerbread Dunny Xmas tree decoration

I’m not looking forward to taking down the xmas tree. Ours is decorated with dunnys, pez, and orgami. Usually they live on the book shelves, but over christmas they came into their own on the tree. So far, my project 365 has focused on the these little guys, but I don’t know if I could take one for every day of the year. Time will tell I guess, at least I’m getting the camera out. Today I got to play around with the 550ex some more. This shot might have looked more warm if done with a tripod and a longer exposure. I’m happy though, because I managed to keep some of the bokeh while using the flash.

Yako is not impressed

I’m hoping for third time lucky. The first time I attempted project 365 I managed to get through about half way, the second never took off properly. Since then I’ve gotten a new small camera and some more lenses to play with. I’m first going to just try and get into the habit of taking a photo everyday without worrying too much about the quality. I hope that eventually, it will give me a chance to start tackling those photography techniques that I have avoided because of lack of knowledge.

The lads are flying through their nuts and seeds. In the image above, you can just see the peanut dispenser. I also have a 500ml bottle that is filled with a mixed seeds. Now that all the lads have figured out how to use the bottle they are flying through the stuff. At a 500ml bottle a day, I’ve run out of my big bucket of seeds. I don’t know where to buy them cheap enough in Dublin, but I don’t want to interrupt their feeding routine. Anyone know how I can get them to slow down? Or where you can buy large quantities of seeds that are relatively cheap?

[Images via Fashionising.com]